Anthony Joshua missed out on the chance to become a three-time heavyweight world champion after he was stopped by British rival Daniel Dubois in the fifth round.
Dubois, 27, knocked down Joshua towards the end of the opening round with an overhand right to the 34-year-old’s chin. In the second, Dubois swarmed over him, and Joshua was shipping severe shots.
Joshua was saved by the bell at the end of the third round. A massive left hook had sent him tottering into the ropes, stunning him, and Dubois then unleashed a ferocious onslaught, hammering him down to the canvas again.
He made it up right on the bell to end the round, and passed a close examination from referee Marcus McDonnell. However, a Dubois left hook tipped him over at the start of the fourth round. Joshua lost his footing afterwards, which was not ruled a knockdown but he was in desperate danger.
After such a frenetic start there were hints that Dubois was starting to tire. His output became a touch less ferocious. Joshua sensed something. He roared back at Dubois for a moment in the fifth round and slammed a right in. He sent another over, a full-power right cross streaking at Dubois. He felt it but threw back. Joshua shrugged off that punch with half a smile and then unleashed another attack. Just for an instant, it looked like Joshua, with his strength, could turn the tables.
But with Dubois retreating to his own corner, and Joshua stepping to him, Dubois lashed a right down into his chin.
It spun him away, crumpling Joshua headlong on to the canvas.
There was no recovering from that, although Joshua tried. He attempted to leave himself upright, but the ending was utterly decisive. It was over.
Wembley Stadium, the scene of Joshua’s greatest triumph when he beat Wladimir Klitschko long ago now in 2017, had become the scene of his most devastating defeat.
Some of boxing’s biggest stars were in attendance, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk watching out for a potential rival, Roberto Duran and Terence Crawford taking ringside seats, Rory McIlroy, Conor McGregor and figures from other sports as well as celebrities from the world of entertainment, not least Oasis superstar Liam Gallagher performing three songs before the main event to add to the sense of occasion.
For Joshua winning Dubois’ IBF title would have made him a three-time heavyweight world champion. It would also no doubt have put him in prime position to take on the winner of December’s Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch for the undisputed championship.
That has all been ripped away.
Instead Dubois, an unlikely heavyweight star, has seized that place.
Source: Sky Sports
